Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Backroom Deal With DPW and U.S. Port Sales?

Apparently that is posible because of one or two pieces of information not widely realized by the public...one of the officials of DP World was appointed to a prominent post within the Bush administration in January, 2006...

DP WORLD EXECUTIVE NOMINATED FOR PRESITIGOUS [sic] US GOVT POSITION

Dubai, 24 January 2006: - Global ports operator DP World today welcomed news that one of its senior executives, Dave Sanborn, has been nominated by US President George W. Bush to serve as Maritime Administrator a key transportation appointment reporting directly to Norman Mineta the Secretary of Transportation and Cabinet Member.

The White House has issued a statement from Washington DC announcing the nomination. The confirmation process will begin in February.

Mr Sanborn currently holds the position of Director of Operations for Europe and Latin America for the Dubai-based company

Mohammed Sharaf, CEO, DP World said: “While we are sorry to lose such an experienced and capable executive, it is exactly those qualities that will make Dave an effective administrator for MarAd. We are proud of Dave’s selection and pleased that the Bush Administration found such a capable executive. We wish him all the best in his new role.”

Ted Bilkey, Chief Operating Officer, DP World said: “Dave’s decades of experience in markets around the world, together with his passion for the industry and commitment to its development, will allow him to make a positive contribution to the work of the Maritime Administration. We wish him well for the future.”

Mr Sanborn, a graduate of The United States Merchant Maritime Academy, joined DP World in 2005. He previously held senior roles with shipping lines CMA-CGM (Americas), APL Ltd and Sea-Land and has been based, besides the US, in Brazil, Europe, Hong Kong and Dubai during his career. He has also served in the US Naval Reserve.

Mr Sanborn is due to take up his new role based in Washington DC later in 2006.

OK...how long ago was this deal planned and who will benefit from it? I do have to give credit to some that have stuck to the GOP line to protect Bush at all cost (like Frist and Hastert) for standing up against this transaction.

My discontent has not a thing to do with DPW being an Arab company but the appointment one month before, the validation of less than 25 days and the threat of Bush to veto any legislation to block it. Another secret deal was made in the closet to cheat the American people out of something...without adequate research into it, the rest of the government's input and with a massive rush and threat of veto to push it through. If it smells like sh*t, it probably is.

For years the GOP has blocked anything that would hold the Bush administration accountable while the wealthiest get tax breaks and social programs for the less fortunate are cut. Now George believes he can do anything he wishes, no matter what anyone else thinks.

The GOP created this Frankenstien...stop blocking efforts, work with the people and hold him and his cronies accountable.

Bushenstien is a conservative creation and will remain thus unless common good is put above party lines.

A coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups announced a campaign today to urge that the U.S. Congress launch a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war. The campaign focuses on evidence that recently emerged in a British memo containing minutes of a secret July 2002 meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his top national security officials.